...Comin' Round the Mountain

Together, we really can make a difference.

Marie Wilson of The White House Project is asking the question "Can You Be in Politics and Keep Your Integrity?" She is calling on women to consider this question and write about on their blogs.

Wilson’s mission in life involves training and inspiring women to enter the pipeline of politics. She believes by adding women to the recipe of politics, we will change the system for the better. She writes; “It is about my wish, on behalf of young women and men alike, that at some point things will be different…that politics, can be a fair and upright foray into changing the world for the better.”

Wilson believes the integrity of our system of government comes from the people, and that its up to us to stand tall and make a difference. She inspired me that’s for sure. My entire world turned up side down this past year, because I took her advice and actually RAN FOR OFFICE. I believed her when she said “If you truly love your country, then each and every woman in this room should get up and run for office right now, or support another woman who is running!”

I put my heart and soul into those words last year, and alas I lost my race. (They say you have to run three times to build a big enough base to win.)

But every cloud has a silver lining, and this one, (while a storm cloud of stupendous proportion) has a lining made of pure gold. This year has empowered me, expanded my mind, opened an entire world of new opportunities, tested my armor, stretched my abilities, and brought me many new and wonderful friends.

One such friend is a woman I want you all to meet. She is a gift to this world and everyone in it. She is the reason I am writing this essay. She has the strength of an army, the determination of a hurricane, the compassion of The Buddha, and insight beyond the wisdom of a Shakespearian oracle. Her name is Maura and she blogs as The Fat Lady Sings.

Although we have never met in person, during this past year she has become one of my most trusted and treasured friends. When Maura learned of my intention to run for office, she stepped up to help.

SHE STEPPED UP.

She ran this campaign. She defined the image, developed the message, planned the strategy, covered the issues, handled the media, and kept me sane and grounded through it all...and she did it all from over six hundred miles away. Together we wrote a book too! (I’ll tell you all about that in another post.) But the point is we did it. Together.

Two regular middle class, Middle American women from different parts of the country came together with a plan to change the world, and in spite of the bumps and bruises along the way, WE REALLY DID MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

You see, that’s the beauty of this country. Our foundation is built by the will of The People. We are not subject to a dictator or king, WE DECIDE. We choose our leaders and determine what direction they will go. Regular folks like you and me are the driving force behind the greatest country in the world. Yes, it is true there are politicians who are corrupt; who trade their integrity in a desperate attempt to hold on to power, but our system has checks and balances to weed those people out. That check is YOU, the voter. Our system only fails when WE THE PEOPLE fail in our duty to pay attention. The buck stops with US.

Maura and I grasped that concept, and made the choice to get involved. It was hard. We sacrificed time away from our families, we worked long hours with no reward or pay, we endured attacks and criticism, we faced pressures and stresses from all sides, but we did our duty as citizens, and that my friends is something to be truly proud of.

We spoke out on issues important to us both, we motivated people, we educated people, we kept our integrity in the process, and I am proud to say, that for the first time in over sixty years, my “Strongly Republican” district of Delaware County Ohio voted Democratic. We exposed some of the corruption and mishandling in our local government and got some new honest citizens elected along the way. We joined up with people from all over this country, paving the way for for change, and hope for the future.

Maura and I played a part in that change, and change my friends is what the future is all about.

Please visit her website and thank her. She not only did it for me, she did it for you. And quite frankly, I expect we shall all be more than amazed by what this woman will do next.

Together, we really can make a difference.

Good Golly Miss Molly

Witty wonderful humorist and Political world shaker Molly Ivans has left the building folks. Ivins' was a Texas writer who used the power of her pen to stab jolting satire at people in positions of power.

"The trouble with blaming powerless people is that although it's not nearly as scary as blaming the powerful, it does miss the point."

In a 2006 speech Bill Clinton described Ivins as "good when she praised me, and painfully good when she criticized me."

Ivins called the Texas Legislature "The best free entertainment in Austin."

In a 2002 column she wrote: "Naturally, when it comes to voting, we in Texas are accustomed to discerning that fine hair's-breadth worth of difference that makes one hopeless dipstick slightly less awful than the other. But it does raise the question: Why bother?"

This story links to a video of Ivans as she points out the "phallacy" of the Texas "penial" code. The video covers the legislatures debate on dildo's, so be warned: While it is humorous, and makes a powerful point regarding prejudice, bias, and the ridiculous sense of priorities demonstrated in government, it is not suitable viewing for children or evangelicals.

ACTION ALERT

Feministing has a rather alarming little news flash to share with all of you bloggettes out there:

According to Jessica at Feministing, it seems Bush has appointed an abstinence-only nut to oversee reproductive rights funding.

"The Bush administration has hired Dr. Eric Keroack to oversee Title X funding—the only federal program devoted entirely to family planning and reproductive health.

Keroack, who is currently the medical director of a Massachusetts pregnancy crisis center (you know, the folks that Lie to Women), will be the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs.

Keroack is not only a well-known anti-choicer, he’s also a major proponent of abstinence-only education…and when I say proponent, I mean fucking insane person."

-From Jessica at Feministing.

Ladies, if you are not STEAMING over this, you should be! Bush has just appointed a guy who is against birth control to be in charge of Flipping BIRTH CONTROL!!!!!!!
Did you catch the little quote about "saying that promiscuous women will not be able to form long-lasting relationships because they have used up all of their "bonding" hormone on casual sex." Oh MY DOG! What midevil monistary did this guy crawl out from under? The old argument that only "Promiscuous Women have abortions is SOOOOOO NOT EVEN REAL, I can't believe Bush would....AUGGGHHH AUGGGHHH AUGGGHHHHH.............

"This physician is abusing the trust and credibility that the public lends to him by publishing this completely baseless & unethical study. The public can file a complaint against him with the American Board of Obsetrics/Gynecology, where he is certified, and the Massachusetts Board of Medicine, where he is licensed. You can reach each at:
http://www.abog.org/about/contact.html
http://www.massmedboard.org/consumer/complaint.shtm

Also:

CONTACT The WHITE HOUSE TODAY!
PROTEST
CALL YOUR LOCAL NEWS AND DEMAND THEY COVER THE STORY
DONATE TO PLANNED PARENTHOOD AND NARAL RIGHT NOW!

http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/replace_keroack2

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/

http://www.naral.org/

http://www.firstgov.gov/Contact.shtml

And send an e-mail to Cecile Richards, thanking her for standing up for your rights. Give her some money, offer your support, and tell her Kelley Bell sent ya.

You can send your message to Cecile through
Andrea Hagelgans
202-973-4844
andrea.hagelgans@ppfa.org.